Electric Ben by Robert Byrd

Very cool illustrations & cover!

Like a bolt of lightning hitting a rod, Electric Ben thrills the reader with its dynamic and informative illustrations and leaves them grounded in solid knowledge and facts about Franklin’s vibrant life. Byrd’s use of “we” and “ours” during the book’s introduction draws the reader into exploring Franklin’s life along with the writer. The ordering of the book follows a logical chronological pattern and displays the early days of Franklin’s life that might especially intrigue a young reader as well as the more familiar facts of his later life. Sprinkled throughout the text and decorating the end pages are quotes from Benjamin Franklin’s many writings. These quotes help add Franklin’s own voice to the biography and introduce young readers to his often witty and humorous personality.

While Byrd treats his subject with respect, he does not shy away from providing readers with an unbiased view of Franklin, noting that he once owned slaves and that his early opinions of Native Americans were prejudiced. Not only are readers introduced to Franklin in this book, but they also learn a great deal through both the text and the illustrations about life during the time Franklin lived. An additional timeline in the back of the book helps clarify the years in which events took place, and Byrd also includes a bibliography and a list of visual sources for the drawings that enliven the book. Students who show interest in Colonial America and important figures in early USA history will want to dive into this energetic look at Franklin’s life. Declared an Orbis Pictus Award Honor Book (2013) and a Sibert Medal Honor Book (2013), Byrd’s Electric Ben is not a book that public children’s librarians or school library media specialists will want to miss out on.